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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:19:57 PM EDT
its a 2004 Chevy Silverado, 1500
i had parked for about 3 hrs--guage was fine later, i crank it up, and drive off the parking lot and a few seconds later my guage plummets from half full to---> EMPTY and my "low fuel" light pops on  i filled up the tank to full at the closest Shell, but the guage still says empty and "low fuel" light is still on.... i got home, took off my red(+) battery cable connection, b/c i was told that that would re-set my computer and fix the problem i waited several mins. and repluged my battery, but the guage is still messed up--stuck at empty/"low fuel"  so, anyone else have this problem? any idea what is wrong or how to fix it (besides bringging it to the dealer...)?  P.S>: ealier in the day, i had parked for about 30mins on an upward incline and when i pulled out, my tank was HALF of what it was when i parked, but i think that it went back to normal in a few mins... |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:20:42 PM EDT
[#1]
The Jews or Bush, pick one. They did it.
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:22:57 PM EDT
[#2]
possibly faulty sensor in the tank
should be under warranty for a 2004 |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:22:59 PM EDT
[#3]
I don't suppose there's a puddle of gasoline under your vehicle
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:23:20 PM EDT
[#4]
for some reason i dont think that either one of em did it.... 
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:23:56 PM EDT
[#5]
no sir, i went back and there was no sign of leakage but that was the first think that hit my mind--i thought that somehow my tank fell out
yea i thought that too, but someone just told me that he has not heard this happening on the newer models.... crap, now that means that i have to take it back to the dealer--but i hope that warrenty is still in.... |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:26:21 PM EDT
[#6]
Might be a mechanical issue, not electrical. Maybe the gauge is stuck? You might try putting some additives into the tank & see if you can dilute some of the crud that 'may' be foulding the gauge sensor?
It's a cheap fix if that works...might be worth a try before heading to the dealer. |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:27:38 PM EDT
[#7]
Actually a common problem with these trucks. Since the sending unit is part of the fuel pump assembly you need to replace the entire unit.
I purchased mine off of eBay for $180.00 new. The dealer $ for the part is around $400. I removed the bolts holding down the bed and shifted the bed to the side to expose the fuel tank. It took me less than 15 minutes to replace the assembly. Around 1 hour total for the entire job. |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:28:26 PM EDT
[#8]
This is an extremely common problem with the fuel sending units on the full sized chevy/gmc trucks. Sending unit is integrated with the fuel pump inside the gas tank. The bed has to be lifted or the tank dropped to R&R the unit.
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:28:32 PM EDT
[#9]
I recently got a notice for a "fix" for a possible fuel tank sensor malfunction. This is for an '01 Suburban.
Of course, I already replaced the goddamn fuel pump PRIOR to this notice. I'm guessing your fuel tank sensor is screwed. That's the exact thing that happened to me. |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:30:09 PM EDT
[#10]
The float bulb has a leak and sunk. If you have dual tanks and like to let one run very low-completely out, the float bulb will get a hole rubbed in the bottom or crack from bouncing against the bottom of the tank. If you have a single tank, the float bulb just failed for some other reason. IMHO because I've seen it done.
eta, oops. I was reading Chevy but thinking Ford. My mistake but it might be worth checking. |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:32:39 PM EDT
[#11]
i'll dump in a bottle or two of some STP fuel cleaner and see what that does first, thanks hokie
toddlerp, jeez, $400?!? (+labor too i bet, damn)i hope that its just some crap in my tank or just an electrical/computer glitch and not something thats going to kill my wallet to fix....looks like i might have to hit ebay too |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:34:02 PM EDT
[#12]
Stay Together Please products have never helped any of my maladies. Good luck. |
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:38:40 PM EDT
[#13]
thats what happened to my dad's ford areostar a while back--had it for 4 1/2 months, new, the float sank--hasnt worked in 18yrs 
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:42:00 PM EDT
[#14]
+ Labor. Yes sir.
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Posted: 1/19/2006 7:45:00 PM EDT
[#15]
My girlfriends Malibu did the exact same thing, Chevy fixed it though.
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Posted: 1/31/2006 1:17:28 PM EDT
[#16]
well a full tank of 93 grade gas and a bottle of stp did nothing--not that i had high hopes
 but i just found out that i'm still under warrenty 
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Posted: 1/31/2006 1:36:03 PM EDT
[#17]
Oh great. I've got an '04 Silverado, the g/f an '04 Malibu. After talking to 12+ dealers, and almost 2 years later, I gave up on finding out where the damn fuel filter (Silverado) is located (no-one seems to know--i.e. "on the driver side rail" or "near the intake manifold" or could be in the tank ). From what I gather it's in the fuel tank (filter and pump in same assembly??).I want my '97 back! At least I had the Chilton's manual for that, I could fix almost anything myself on my old truck  . I've been a Chevy guy for 10+ years, but I'm starting to consider otherwise.--VT |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 1:39:56 PM EDT
[#18]
Have similiar problems with my '04 GMC Canyon...when I first got it, POS fuel guage stopped working after about a month....would drop to 3/4 tank normally, and just stay there....
Dealer replaced it.... Still works squirrely, does not seem linear at all...will take a while to go from full to half...but from there sometimes I will drive a few miles, and the damn thing drops to less than a quarter...will talk to the dealer again about next time it goes in for service. Just another quality US truck..... |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 1:46:58 PM EDT
[#19]
The fuel filter is on the driver side frame rail. The fuel pump assembly has a cloth/ plastic like mesh material as a pre filter. Simply to keep large pieces out of the sending unit. It is not the serviceable fine micron filter which is external.
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:00:09 PM EDT
[#20]
A 2002 Ford Expedition owner here and had similar problem.
I just drove the car over a bumpy unpaved road for few minutes and the problemwas solved... that was 3 years/40,000 miles ago and it still work fine. Here is how my fuel gage works if I'm driving 55-60 mph on highway: full to 3/4 tank - 140 miles 3/4 to 1/2 tank - 100 miles 1/2 to 1/4 tank - 60 miles 1/4 to empty - 120 miles empty to engine stops - 45 miles. So I get 465 miles on a 25 gal. tank of gas. |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:03:29 PM EDT
[#21]
Uuuh, because you're out of gas?
 My '97 Z71 does it sometimes. When it just barely gets below 1/2 a tank, it seems like it only takes 50 miles to get to empty. Doesn't happen often, just every now and again. |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:08:27 PM EDT
[#22]
You forgot Exxon. |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:18:49 PM EDT
[#23]
Did your tank get jacked?
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:23:10 PM EDT
[#24]
Chevy trucks are legendary for htis the last five years. And Chevy knows.
We have several of them at work that all have the same problem. Everyone just goes off their trip odometer religously. The guage means nothing. |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:26:32 PM EDT
[#25]
Just lay under the truck and kick the gas tank until the gauge starts working again.
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:32:57 PM EDT
[#26]
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:40:44 PM EDT
[#27]
If there is crud in the tank of an '04, you got bigger problems than fuel level indication!!!! |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:56:09 PM EDT
[#28]
Happens to Toyotas too. My 95 Tacoma developed the problem of a wandering gage needle, it goes up and down at random, no relation to vehicle motion. I can't imagine how many boat payments they would charge for the repair, ain't gonna happen. I will check out the wiring in the spring, if it turns out to be the sensor it can stay intermittent
. I watch the odometer too. |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 2:59:56 PM EDT
[#29]
I've seen three 2000 Corvettes and several Chevy vans and pickups at work do this. A bottle of Techron fixes it every time. I think the problem is related to sulfur in the gas, because the supplier we get gas from sometimes has high sulfur gas from Exxon and that often causes the problem. Since the supplier is related to the owner of the company I work for, I can't switch suppliers. Another local station has really cheap, high sulfur gas, and my two great-nephews and my boss's son that own Corvettes all buy from that station and have problems with it.z
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Posted: 1/31/2006 5:32:40 PM EDT
[#30]
so i should try a bottle of techron to see if it works first? what do yall think? no no one jacked my tank  and i already tried kicking it--no effect except a lot of dirt falling on my face |
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Posted: 1/31/2006 5:41:06 PM EDT
[#31]
I the words FUCKING GAS PIG w/ or w/o the A with circle around it are painted on your door it is save to assume eco-terrorists have attacked you.
Ruling out eco-terrorism the ground wire to the gas guage is probably loose
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Posted: 1/31/2006 5:50:52 PM EDT
[#32]
Your fuel sensor went, they will have to drop the tank to replace it, maybe your warranty will cover it
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Posted: 1/31/2006 6:54:55 PM EDT
[#33]
This issue seems to be pretty common with certain Chevy models. It happened to my 2002 Corvette a while back. My gas gauge suddenly went from half a tank to empty due to deposits on the fuel sending unit. I did a quick search on Corvette Forums and found lots of posts about it. One bottle of Techron worked for me but it might take up to 3 bottles.
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Posted: 1/31/2006 7:09:50 PM EDT
[#34]
I beg to differ. I've been from the tank to the block a couple dozen times trying to find the filter (like on the older model Silverados, along the driver side rail) and there is absolutely no filter on the rail. Like I said, I've talked with 12+ techs about this and they all tell me it's in different places. I can't find it anywhere, I am to believe it must be in the tank. Could it be that 2004 models made before/ after January 04 have different locations??
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Posted: 1/31/2006 8:20:38 PM EDT
[#35]
A bottle of Techron or two shouldn't hurt. I never trust the last quarter on my Chevy truck, it seems to e erratic sometimes. Steady driving on a flat, it seems to be ok, but start and go and up and down hills it gets squirrely. However last summer I found out just how many gallons I can get in the 24 gallon tank. Forgot to fill in Paso Robles, the place where we were going to eat was not available and got distracted. Did find a good mexican food place. We were half way to Cambria when I noticed it was pegged on the wrong side. Brain shifted back into drive while I figured just how many miles we had driven since the last fill. shit. Leesse Paso to Salinas with several side journeys to neat places, then to San Juan Batista, to Monterey to Paso again. "MaDanby, start looking for call boxes" "Never mind why just keep looking for them." "Yes there are and we are going to try coasting down all the grades." Turned off 46 to 1 and the engine coughed a few times. Luckily there was a CHP and County Mounty across the street so if we died, calling AAA would be easy. Slow up the hill to the frontage road and coast into Cambria, cough cough at the stop sign and die as we pull into the gas station. 25.1 gallons ina "24" gallon tank.
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